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Add FightsATW on GoogleWWE Night of Champions was held at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to crown the King and Queen in each of the finals matchups, broadcast for ‘free’ on ESPN’s main channel before switching over to the app. Aside from the contests to crown new number one contenders, the WWE world title was also up for grabs in a triple threat match with far more storytelling layers at play.
It was in March 2018 that this deal with Saudi Arabia was initiated, and events have evolved since then, with a lively crowd of young fans in the closest seats.
CODY RHODES (c) VS GUNTHER VS SAMI ZAYN— WWE World Title Triple Threat Match
A match months in the making on one end, while the other storyline, contributing to this triple threat match, has been a subplot that has lasted well over a year. Gunther’s beef with Cody was simple, he unfairly lost his match at Clash in Italy when he snuck his foot under the rope before the ref counted three. As for Sami, that plot is a theatrical drama with feelings twisted in a knot of tension.
Sami has been on this run as the ‘heel’ good guy, the last one, according to him, and that brought him into this booking as the heel. Yet, it was also expected that he would receive a hero’s welcome from the crowd in Saudi Arabia, and that is exactly what happened when he walked out to the ring in the traditional garb of the country. The pop foreshadowed the celebration to come as Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes kicked off the match, going blow for blow.
Sami Zayn would end up winning the Undisputed World title in front of a raucous crowd excited to see the payoff for a lifter. This indie wrestling darling existed as an absolute professional within the biz. The match told a fantastic story, and while Cody was the one to take the pin, it was done in a way that protected everyone involved.
First, it was a very physical match, and Gunther’s presence added to the grueling nature of this energy-draining contest. Gunther hit his powerbomb on Sami, Sami hit his “Heluva-Kick” on Gunther, and Cody hit an amazing double ‘Cody Cutter’ off the springboard from the middle rope—that does not even factor in the one he hit from the top turnbuckle.
Sami picked up a sneaky pinfall victory off of a ‘Cross Rhodes’ attempt from the champion, this after he hit a double ‘Cross Rhodes’ on both of his opponents moments prior, and that allowed Zayn to drop to the mat, grab Cody’s ankles to roll him up for the win. It could be argued that the damage that the three men took is really what accounted for Sami’s win, but it cannot be ignored that he went into the match as ‘the wrestler.’
With Sami as WWE champion, it will be interesting to see how many challengers come out to claim ‘first,’ and the target on his back will make keeping the title much harder than winning it.
KING OF THE RING FINALS: OBA FEMI VS JEY USO
In a fight week that included a huge junior middleweight title fight against two young, undefeated fighters, as well as a solid UFC card, and a PPV from the ‘alternative,’ this KOTR finals match existed as the most disputed and anticipated match of all. The split between fans on who would win was tough to call because Jey had been poised to win following months of ‘Bloodline’ drama, magnifying the stakes to please his ‘Tribal Chief.’ The Jacob Fatu beef also served as a narrative that played into his need to win as Fatu’s relationship with Roman strengthened.
The match was not long, lasting almost a quarter of the time that the QOTR finals had during their free first hour on ESPN, and Oba Femi won clean, as in zero Bloodline, Solo, or LA Knight interferences. Oba did not squash Jey, but what occurred might have been worse, considering Jey hit him with everything he had, and barely got a near fall out of it.
Oba won the match with his sit-down power bomb, and then he cut an impassioned promo in the post-match interview—though he never donned the crown. He did not declare who he would choose to face, Roman Reigns or the winner of the main event triple threat, and that is potentially the problem.
One of the worries online is that if Oba won, he would use his ‘you call it’ title shot to finesse a Brock Lesnar trilogy. However, with SummerSlam in Minnesota, Brock’s home, Oba could be poised to retire Lesnar on night one and dethrone Roman/Sami on night two.
QUEEN OF THE RING FINALS: LIV MORGAN VS IYO SKY
Sky put on a tremendous showing in a match that showcased mat work, high-flying abilities, and a strong ‘counter-first’ defense. Liv felt distracted, and Dan Hausen’s curse might have caused him to hit the women’s champion prior to their match. They had a short segment in which Liv complained about the money the kayfabe vampire stole from The Judgment Day.
With her head out of the match, Sky took full advantage and showed out in real time, elevating herself in front of the fans—they loved them some Iyo. Following the match, Sky made it clear that she would challenge Liv for her title, which is smart, considering she had already beaten her. Still, there is something lackluster about a contender winning their right to challenge for the title by beating the champion.
TRICK WILLIAMS (c) VS RICKY SAINTS—U.S. Title
RICKY SAINTS BURRIED?!
Trick Williams was retained in a very fun match between the two main roster upstarts. The match started with shenanigans as Ricky found a way to get Lil Yachty booted from ringside. We got a mix of outside work and between-the-ropes action, and in the end, Trick separated himself in the climax of the match to pull off the successful defense.
The bigger story is what happened in the post-match: Lil Yachty returned to deliver a post-match beatdown on Saints. Only, Yachty chose “Rock Bottom” as the move to ‘finish’ off Saints. Ricky Saints has received criticism for his schtick being ‘too familiar’ to that of the early ‘Rock’ character. In fact, there was drama with him in AEW as it related to him being called out for ‘lifting’ The Rock’s character in an on-air promo.
It is hard to know if Yachty even understood what he was doing, but wrestling fans certainly did.
TIFFANY STRATON(c) VS JADE CARGILL—Women’s U.S. Title
Stratton retained in a clunky match with a fun ending. It is a wonder why WWE would pair Stratton and Cargill after their infamous in-ring and out-of-ring issues; still, they tell a good story when they are in the ring together. However, tonight’s match was more about pushing another match entirely.
Jade had the match in hand after B-Fab and Michin came down to ringside, but Charlotte Flair showed up looking gorgeous and making the ‘bodysuit’ work for her. Flair cost Jade the match, and it looks like that is where we are headed next, and those two stars do not need a title to produce a big-time bout.
SETH ROLLINS VS BRON BREAKKER— Steel Cage Match
The tables, chairs, and kendo sticks were in the ring as the cage lowered, as WWE made sure these two had everything they needed to obliterate one another. The last match they had was nearly perfect, and it could have been the end, but after tonight, it feels like we wrote the final chapter.
Breakker got busted open midway through the match, and the story they told felt like it was always Seth being too experienced for the upstart, and this feud ultimately proved too much for Breakker. Seth did a lot in this match to dispel the narrative that he is not operating at 100% or has lost a step or two.
In the match’s climax, there was an interesting moment where Seth hesitated to land his ‘curb stomp’ after Breakker seemed to plead with him to stop. After a brief moment of defeat, Breakker screamed in encouragement towards Seth to finish him off, and the son of a Stiener put himself in a worse position as he stood up on his feet only to feel the full force of the curb stomp.
Seth won the match, and Michael Cole said on commentary in the aftermath that Seth has ‘put The Vision behind him.’
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